


Too Close for Comfort

by FleaBee



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Family Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2018-12-17 05:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11845380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleaBee/pseuds/FleaBee
Summary: Gohan and Sharpener watch from the sidelines as their parents get a little too close for their liking after meeting at parent day.





	1. Parent Day

It was parent-teacher day at Orange Star High School an annual even on the school roster so so parents could see where their money was going for their child's education as well as talk to the teachers about any concerns. A day where parents attended classes that their children generally attended for the day.

Being Gohan's first year at school after years of being home schooled, this would be Gohan's first parent-teacher day. He walked into his homeroom with his mother who was fussing over him the whole time. Chi Chi Son was pointing out potential wives every time a new girl walked past as well as the girls he should stay away from and why. A few of the girls beamed at Chi Chi deeming them wife worthy other's looked like they wanted to run as far away as possible.

"This is my homeroom," Gohan announced. Together they walked through the door where other students and parents had already arrived. "I usually sit in the back."

"Shouldn't you sit in the front so you can pay attention to the teacher? I want you to be learning as much as possible." Chi Chi asked her son. The thing she wanted for her son was the best education possible, which was why he was finishing his schooling at an actual school instead of at home with her.

Gohan was nervous before he admitted. "I haven't learnt anything new, yet lesson-wise. I learnt more from you than I have from teachers. I have learnt a lot about interacting with other students."

In the back corner where Gohan sat, he saw a crowd of parents and students. From the centre of the crowd, he heard roaring laughter. It which sounded familiar to Gohan but he couldn't work out why. He noticed that Videl was standing in the back corner. He looked around for his other friends. Erasa wasn't here yet, and Sharpener had come in just behind himself and his mother.

"There sure are a lot of people in your class kid," Gohan heard the person that looked like an older version of Sharpener. Considering Sharpener was standing with him he assumed that he was most likely Sharpeners father and if not his father, a close relative.

"Not all of them are meant to be in this class," Sharpener said in reply. "Most of them are in here because of Mr. Satan."

Gohan turned back to the man who had the majority of the attention. "Oh, so that's why that laugh sounded familiar," Gohan replied with a nervous gulp. He turned to his mother, he hoped that she still didn't want to assassinate the World Champ.

"I'm going to kill him," Chi Chi shouted, starting to push her way through the crowd.

Gohan sighed, she did still remember that she wanted to kill the man and the exact reason why. He pulled his mother back away from the crowd. "Mum, you can't kill Mr. Satan." Especially with witnesses around, he thought to himself.

"Why would a lovely young lady like you want to kill a man like Mr. Satan?" Sharpeners father asked in amusement. "It was not every day that you had someone declare so publically that they were going to attempt to kill the saviour of the world." The fact that it happened in a school classroom from another child's mother he found rather amusing.

"That fraud discredited all the work my husband did." She replied with venom. Gohan sighed again; he was glad that his mother didn't mention him. As it was she'd still revealed too much information. At some point, Videl had come over, interested in the parent who shouted they were going to kill her father.

Videl sneered at Chi Chi. "Lady, my dad doesn't discredit anyone; it was probably your husband that's the fraud! My dad doesn't even know you so why would he even do that?"

Sharpeners father stepped in before Chi Chi, or Gohan could say anything. "Young lady, that's no way to speak to one an elder."

Chi Chi smiled when Sharpener's father stood up for her, it was the type of smile that Gohan hadn't seen on his mother's face since before he was kidnapped by Raditz. A smiled that had always been reserved for his father when he'd been a child.

Hercules moved through the crowd towards his daughter. "Videl, what's going on?" He then noticed Chi Chi who was still glaring at Videl. "What are you doing to my Videl to upset her?" He stood in front of his daughter defending her from a woman he didn't realise could potentially defeat him.

"Sir, your daughter was rude and disrespectful of this ladies husband. I'm Pencil, Graphite." Mr. Pencil replied, holding out his hand to Hercule, who ignored him.

"My Videl wouldn't do that!" Hercule defended his child with the same ferocity that Chi Chi would do for her own children.

"Just like you wouldn't take credit of beating Cell from someone else," Chi Chi said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Mum!" Gohan was near panic mode, it had been seven years, and the public didn't know he was the one that beat Cell. He didn't want anyone else knowing. If that ever came out there would be a media field day, something that the Son family didn't want to deal with. The reason why Gohan had let Hercule take the credit in the first place.

"Right," Hercule laughed nervously a slight amount of sweat dripping from his face as he looked at the woman in front of him trying to work out exactly what she knew.

At that moment the bubbly blond of their group entered with her equally blond parents. She missed the tense atmosphere from everyone else, or if she noticed, she ignored it.

"Mum these are my friends Son, Gohan; Pencil, Sharpener and you already know Videl," Erasa smiled as she introduced her friends.

"I'm Stationary, Kei and this is my wife, Hitomi." Erasa's father introduced himself and his wife, also missing the friction between the other adults of the group.

"Son, Chi Chi."

"Paper, Graphite."

"Satan, Hercule."

The parents all introduced themselves looking between the four teenagers who'd managed to become friends.

"Gohan, you didn't mention that you were friends with Mr. Satan's daughter or this lovely lady," Chi Chi said in a sickly sweet voice.

Gohan gulped nervously. He didn't mention his female friends because he didn't want to end up married to one of them or his mother challenging Mr. Satan.

At that moment the homeroom teacher came in informing anyone that was not meant to be in the classroom to leave and for everyone to find seats. The argument between Chi Chi and Hercule put aside for now.

 

Gohan and his friends made their way to their usual seats, with their parents sitting with them. Extra chairs had been brought into the classroom for the day. Their homeroom teacher explained what subjects they would be doing that day which was Japanese, English, Math, Sport and whatever extracurricular subject their child had chosen which for Gohan was History. The lessons were to be followed by individual parent-teacher interviews after school was finished for the day.

The first interruption to the class was when Videl's watch beeped.

"What do you need my help with, chief?" Videl said into the watch.

"We have a hostage situation at the Finks Pharmacy." The crackled voice of the chief came through the watch.

Chi Chi snatched the watch of Videl's wrist before she even knew what was happening. Videl blinked at her wrist noticing her watch was gone without her seeing.

"Are you really asking a young girl to help you with your job?" Chi Chi yelled into the watch.

Videl turned to Chi Chi surprised to see her watch in the older woman's hand. She looked back at her wrist wondering how she'd got it off without her seeing despite looking at her arm at the time it was stolen.

"Videl's the best we've got." The chief defended.

Everyone in the classroom watched with interest as Chi Chi argued with the police chief about Videl assisting the force.

"Why don't you do your job properly instead of relying on a young girl to do your job for you? Are you getting paid to sit on your backside all day, while watching a young girl risks her life just because you couldn't do your job?" Chi Chi continued scolding the Chief of Police for a further five minutes. "She will not be coming out today or ever again if I have my way."

She disconnected the call before turning her attention to Hercule. "And how dare you just sit there and let your daughter go into dangerous situations like. As a father you should be protected your daughter, not allowing her to go out into dangerous situations. If anyone should be helping the police it should be you, but you won't because that will expose you as the fraud you are because you are less capable than your teenage daughter."

Gohan sighed, it sounded like the fights his mother used to have with his father when his father was still alive. Such as about not letting him fight against Cell and the androids and some of the training that he'd done over the years. He was surprised when Graphite and Hitomi both agreed with his mother on the subject of Videl.

"I've been thinking the same thing for a long time," Hitomi commented. "But have been too afraid to say anything about the issue. It's not my place to judge how you raise your daughter, but you shouldn't be putting her in deadly situations like that."

"Parent can you please calm down," the frustrated English teacher shouted as more parents got involved in the argument about how Hercule was raising Videl. People on both sides of the argument.

Parents who were not involved in Chi Chi's fight with Hercule had started fighting over their child being the best at school work and sports to the embarrassment of the students.

Once the teacher had managed to get the parents calmed down they brought out school work that they would be doing for the lesson which was to also be done by the parents if they choose to participate.

"Schools a lot harder than I remember," Graphite laughed with Kei when the work was handed out.

"I don't think I can even answer the first question," Hitomi said with confusion, turning the page to a new angle as if that would help.

"I'm a fighter, not a scholar." Hercules laughed proudly. "How about you Mrs Son?"

"I find all the answered are simple," Chi Chi answered. "I've answered them all. Gohan have you finished yet or even started your answers?" Chi Chi asked sternly.

"I haven't started yet," Gohan replied, getting out a pen so he could answer all the questions.

"The rest of you should be doing your answers as well," Hitomi said the children in a kind manner.

Gohan was finished with his answers within minutes of starting and handed them to his mother to check.

"Is this all they are going to hand out for the lesson?" Chi Chi asked not realising that the other parents and students were struggling to answer the questions.

"Gohan normally does all his work in the first ten minutes of class and then sleeps through the rest of class," Erasa told Chi Chi.

Gohan groaned, he was going to get grounded for life because of that comment. "Erasa," Gohan said her name in a way that she knew that was something she shouldn't have mentioned in front of his mother.

Chi Chi gave her son a look that meant she would be talking to him that night. Gohan gulped, he wished he could go home with his friends.

 

Gohan started drifting off in the classroom even after the stern look from his mother. He could tell that even she was getting impatient with not getting given any more work. Then when they marked all the questions the teacher then started explaining the questions that most people had trouble with. Gohan had dropped off to sleep completely, and Chi Chi was getting frustrated with how simple the work was and the lack of understating of the work everyone else had. Was school always like this? Chi Chi herself had been homeschooled by the best tutors money could buy since too many people knew who she was when she'd tried to attend school.

"He's not going to learn everything sleeping like that," Hercule said disapprovingly to Chi Chi since she didn't seem to be doing anything about her son sleeping through class.

"Yet he still manages to get one hundred percent on everything." Erasa boasted.

"Gohan got one hundred percent on the statewide exams that were held recently," Chi Chi beamed, liking the young blond girl who was boasting about her son's achievements.

Some of the parents laughed thinking that Chi Chi was making up her son's school results. They could only see a lazy child and not the genius he actually was.

"Gohan's the only student to ever get one hundred percent on the entrance exams for the school isn't he?" Angela who sitting in the middle row asked the other students.

"I remember the teachers all making a big deal out of it," another student spoke up.

"I wish I was as smart as him and not pay attention in class and still do well." Another student said. The chatter starting about the intelligent boy who slept through or skipped most classes. Chi Chi already knew about the skipping thing since he was playing super hero, something she didn't approve of.

 

During lunch break, Gohan and his friends sat at one table while the parents sat at another table nearby though not long after the parents sat down Hitomi and Kei both had to leave. Erasa's younger sister had an accident at school and was now in the hospital, Erasa leaving with them. Hercule was only at school for the morning so after eating lunch had left for a press conference leaving only Chi Chi and Graphite at the parent's table.

"Your wife not here today?" Chi Chi asked. "Oh, sorry that was impolite of me." She apologised moments later.

Graphite replied. "I don't mind, Megumi died when Sharpener was nine years old. A car accident on the way to school to pick Sharpener up. I was at work at the time. Meg was pregnant, two months away from having our second child. Sharpener was so happy at getting to be a big brother, so it was devastating; he lost his mother and his only chance of being a big brother. Found out when they were doing the autopsy that the baby was a little girl. We wanted to keep the gender a surprise."

"I'm sorry about your wife and daughter. My husband died when Gohan was eleven. He was one of the people fighting Cell and one of the few people that didn't come back after Cell died." Chi Chi explained. "I found out two months after my husband died that I was pregnant with our second, Goten such a sweet boy and he looks so much like his father. Gohan and I both weren't coping with Goku's death. Goten gave us both hope again."

 

Videl was glad her father had left because he probably would've made a big deal about her sitting alone with two boys. She was still annoyed at Mrs. Son for stealing her watch and not allowing her to attend any police work. Anytime she'd try to leave Mrs. Son would instruct her to sit back down.

"Your mother is a handful," Videl said, a glance over at the parent's table.

"Tell me something I don't know," Gohan replied.

"My dad seems to like her," Sharpener stated.

Gohan turned around to watch his mother and Graphite talking he gulped as he saw that smile again.

 

Lunch was over quickly and the next lesson for the day was sports. Parents vs Students in a game of baseball. Baseball was something that Graphite was very good at and proud to show off.

"I used to play professional, was on the same team as the Baseball Bandit. Nowhere near as good as him, I don't think anyone on the team ever was." Graphite boasted to Chi Chi as they walked onto the field. The students were batting first and working out the batting order. He was proud that his son and Chi Chi's son both being put in a spot to clear bases.

"Yamcha's a friend of the family," Chi Chi replied. "I've known him since I was a child before he went professional. He taught Gohan how to play baseball. Not that Gohan needed much teaching, he's a natural at most sports even though he doesn't have an interest in them."

The students won the baseball match, but not by much. Chi Chi and Gohan both proving that it wasn't just academics they were good at. That Chi Chi hadn't been lying to Graphite about Gohan's sporting ability. They were both good at sports as well.

"Well well well, that was a surprise," Graphite said as they walked towards the locker room to get changed out of their sports gear. "Smart, athletic and good looking, is there anything that you're not good at? Let me guess, cooking."

"I actually pride myself on my cooking, the thing I consider myself best at," Chi Chi replied with a slight giggle. "You should try it some time."

Afternoon classes went rather quickly but Gohan was glad when they were over, he didn't like how close his mother seemed to be to Graphite Paper during the school day. Only one day and they were acting like they had known each other a lifetime.


	2. Date Night

Gohan was sitting on his parent's bed watching his mother as she as she was putting her makeup on. She was dressed up, and the oldest Son boy couldn't work out why.

"Gohan, can you watch your brother today? Chi Chi asked. Doing a final check of her makeup before touching up her hair.

"I can do that, where are you going?" Gohan asked, it had been a long time since he'd really seen his mother dressed up, and he was getting an uneasy feeling about it.

"I am meeting up with Mr Paper." Chi Chi cheerfully replied.

"Are you going on a date?" Gohan asked in shock. His mother had never gone on a date with anyone before. She'd tried to arrange a few dates with his father while he was growing up, but something always happened that prevented their dates.

"It's not a date, we are just going to get lunch and talk. It will be nice to talk to another adult that wasn't one of your father's friends."

"That sure sounds like a date to me," Gohan pouted. "What about dad!" He knew he was being childish but didn't like the idea of his mother being with anyone else.

"I'm not replacing your father! I love your father, I always will." Chi Chi glanced at the photo that graced her bedside table. Goku was the love of her life, she'd never stop loving him.

"It sure feels like it," Gohan mumbled. "What about when dad comes back?"

With a firm voice, Chi Chi turned to her son, looking him directly in the eyes. "Your father has been dead for seven years. If he was going to come back he would've done it by now. I am not going to put my life on hold forever for him. This discussion is over Gohan. I am going out tonight with Mr. Paper, you are going to watch your brother, and I will have a nice night out. My night out is not a date."

Chi Chi kissed his cheek after she was ready. He sighed as his mother walked out the house looking fabulous. It was only a few days since the parent's day at the school, and already she was meeting up with him again. He wouldn't have minded if she was meeting up with Erasa's parents but Sharpeners father! He knew the other man was currently single. The eldest Son boy paced wondering if his friend's father was anything like Sharpener was when it came to dating women. He shuddered at the thought. He hoped that Sharpener didn't take after his father in that regard.

 

Goten didn't understand what a date was. The young boy was excited to be with his brother for the afternoon. It was the first time they'd been alone together since Gohan had started school.

"Big brother, can we go out and play." Goten bounced excitedly.

"Not yet, first you have to do your homework." Gohan couldn't believe he was repeating lines his mother once told him.

"Aww, do I have to," Goten pouted. "I thought that since mum was out that we could play."

"We will play, but first you have to finish your homework. I'll be the one that gets in trouble if you don't complete your work."

Gohan watched as Goten tried to sneak away several times while doing homework and fought over answers to questions instead of actually answering the questions in the first place. Gohan never argued with his mother about the answers for questions or even answering individual questions. His arguments with his mother had been that he'd done enough homework already and wanted to play for a short while.

Goten had nowhere near the amount of homework Gohan used to do and nowhere near his level of work at that age. After a long struggle, Goten finally finished his homework. Gohan wondered if it was this difficult for his mother to get him to do homework when he was younger, and he just remembered wrong.

After preparing afternoon tea, Goten finally got to play. Much to the delight of the youngest half saiyan. Gohan smiled as he watched the younger boy race around, and then trying to reach up for something.

"Why don't you fly to get it?" Gohan asked.

"I can't fly yet" Goten replied as if the answer should be obvious.

"I guess it's time for me to teach you." Gohan then pondered how he was going to teach his brother. Piccolo had taught him by tossing him into the air and dropping him from great heights and knew that his mother would kill him if he used that method to teach his brother.

"How do I fly brother?" Goten asked excitedly. "What do I have to do first?" He bounced around impatient to know how to fly. "Why aren't you teaching me yet? Come on Gohan, hurry up with my lesson."

Gohan ignored his younger brother while he thought of methods that should work to get Goten airborne.

"I've got it," Gohan announced.

He sat on the ground and got Goten to stand in front of him. He made some energy balls in both hands and demonstrated to Goten how he changed the energy from forming Ki blasts to using it for flying. It wasn't long until Goten was airborne.

Gohan watched in amusement at his brother's carefree nature as he flew around. Something that Gohan never got to experience when he first learnt how to fly. He learnt how to fly from terror and didn't have a chance to be carefree since he was training with Piccolo for Vegeta and Nappa's arrival and his father was already dead. One adventure after another until his father's death.

After an hour Gohan called Goten back. His brother needed to learn control on top of flight.

"How about now you power up to full strength," Gohan asked his brother. It was something he hadn't done since he'd started school. He watched as his brother powered up to full strength which was at the level to turn super Saiyan, but just hadn't triggered it yet. He was so proud and wondered how he'd missed this growth in his power.

"You're really close to turning super Goten," Gohan informed his brother.

"Really," Goten asked excitedly. "Trunks can turn super already."

"Vegeta must be proud," Gohan replied, wondering how he missed sensing Trunks reaching super saiyan. Had he really missed so much going to school?

"I don't think Mr. Vegeta has seen Trunks as super," Goten replied. "Gohan, I'm hungry."

Looking up at the sky and seeing dusk was setting in Gohan strolled back home with his brother. Control training would have to wait for another day.

 

The house was empty when they arrived at the home Gohan had lived in since birth.

"When's mum getting home?" Goten asked the question that had been playing over in Gohan's mind over and over again.

"I'm not sure," Gohan replied honestly. He actually expected their mother to already be home. "How about we prepare a nice dinner for mum?"

"Okay," Goten shouted excitedly. Dinner preparations were on the way, and Goten caused a mess that Gohan ended cleaning up. It was quite late by the time dinner was ready, but their mother was still nowhere in sight. He knew Chi Chi was safe because he had a lock on her ki.

"We'll eat while it's still hot," Gohan suggested.

The young boy eating his dinner sadly, really wanting to share their creation with their mother. Gohan covered up his mother's dinner and played video games against his brother and then put on a movie after they'd finished playing video games. Once the youngest of the Son boys was asleep Gohan started working on a class assignment he'd been given towards the end of the week, not that he was getting far constantly wondering how much longer his mother was going to be.

 

Gohan wasn't the only one concerned about parents. Sharpener had seen his father actually put effort into his appearance for the first time in a long time. The only child was getting ready for baseball training.

"What's with the outfit?" Sharpener enquired.

"I'm having lunch with the lovely Chi Chi Son" Graphite answered.

"Why?" Sharpener asked, not thinking of any reason his father would have with meeting up with Gohan's mother.

"It's just to chat," Graphite answered. "I'll see you tonight."

Sharpener didn't think anything of it till he returned from baseball practice expecting to see his father home. It was so unlike his father that Sharpener tried calling him several times and kept going through to voicemail.

"Why hasn't he called?" Sharpener complained.

It also meant that he had to feed himself, which he wasn't very good at. He hated cooking and nearly burnt down the house several times while attempting to cook. He ended up eating junk food and everything he shouldn't have for dinner after he smoked up the kitchen. His original meal was beyond saving.

It was well after midnight when his father finally turned up.

"When you said you would be back tonight I didn't think you meant this late." Sharpener scolded. "You get mad at me when I stay out late and don't give updates on where I am, and what do end up doing! The exact thing you lectured me about not doing!"

"Sorry son, I lost track of time." Graphite laughed off. "I'll see you in the morning, son."

Sharpener grumbled as he made his way to bed.

 

As Chi Chi walked through the door after her late night she found her eldest son waiting. "Mum, I was so worried," Gohan shouted as he pulled his mother into a hug. "I thought someone had attacked you."

"I'm sorry Gohan, I lost track of time I didn't mean to worry you. I'm such a bad mother."Chi Chi cried.

"You're not a bad mum, you're the best. I was just worried." Gohan sighed with relief that his mother was finally home.

"Is your brother in bed?" Chi Chi question.

"He fell asleep on the lounge waiting for you a few hours ago. I've put him in bed." Gohan then filled her in on their day. "I cooked dinner with help from Goten, there's a plate for you if you're hungry and Goten finished all his homework. We also did martial arts lesson, and I taught him how to fly this afternoon."

"My baby can fly, he will need to show me tomorrow, though that child is hard enough to keep track of with both feet on the ground. It's going to be even more difficult now."

After checking up on Goten, having her meal and making sure everything that needed to be turned off was turned off Gohan, and his mother made their way to bed.

 

Gohan and Sharpener where both exhausted Monday morning when classes started.

"What's wrong with you two?" Erasa asked in her cheery voice. Videl wasn't there yet, she would use the excuse she had police work whether she did or not.

"I don't want to talk about it" Sharpener replied.

Gohan simply didn't answer, that girl was too good at getting information out of him when he did talk. Even better than Videl. Classes went smoothly for the morning, though Videl still hadn't turned up for school and Erasa had gone home just before lunch not feeling well.

"What time did your mum get home last night?" Sharpener asked while it was only the two of them.

"After three this morning," Gohan replied.

"My dad got back just after midnight," Sharpener replied.

"My mum said they were only going for lunch," Gohan replied.

"Dad said the same." Sharpener sighed. "No offence nerd boy but I don't like your mum getting so close to my Dad."

"None taken because I don't like it either."

 

Gohan and Sharpener started reporting on a daily basis at school the phone conversations that they heard and when the parents would meet up.

"She's not listening to anything I say. She keeps saying that if dad was going to come back he would've done it already," Gohan complained.

"Isn't your dad dead?" Sharpener questioned.

"That's complicated because he was killed by Cell he can come back anytime but choose to stay in the afterlife because he's interested in learning new fighting techniques for his..." Gohan trailed off not finishing the sentence as Erasa and Videl came to join them.

Neither teenager was ready to tell the girls about the change of situation at home.


	3. House Visit

**House Visit**

Chi Chi and Graphite had been dating for a couple of months much to the annoyance of the two older boys. Goten liked Graphite and not knowing his father didn't know any different, he like his mummy's new friend. As soon as Chi Chi landed her jet after a date with Graphite, Gohan knew that Graphite had proposed and that she'd said yes. He didn't need to hear it from her or see the ring on her finger to know that is what had happened, her body language said it all.

"He asked me to marry him," Chi Chi giggled like a young school girl.

"What does that mean?" Goten asked slightly confused.

"What about dad?" Gohan asked ignoring his brother's question. Gohan knew he should be happy for his mother. Graphite was a nice guy, but the childish part of him didn't want to let go of his father.

"I still love your father," Chi Chi replied. "I always will, but I'm not going to put my life on hold any longer just because there is a slim chance he might come back." His mother's tone he knew they wouldn't be discussing this any further ... for the time being.

Chi Chi took Gotens hand and took him to the next room to explain marriage to her youngest son without the interference of her eldest son. Leaving Gohan alone to cool down. It was all happening too fast for Gohan. He didn't know that they'd got so serious so quickly. He hadn't been expecting a proposal yet and didn't want to think about what else his mother and Sharpener's father had been up to.

DBZ

The next day at school Gohan could tell that Sharpener was just as upset by the news as he was.

"Your moods are so in sync at the moment, are you two secretly dating?" Erasa asked the two boys, teasing the pair. "And here I thought you both liked Videl unless you're thinking of going the threesome route."

"Erasa, that's not what's going on." Sharpener protested. "Though I would do a threesome with you and Videl. Would not do a threesome with another male."

"Erasa how could you even suggest something like that!" Videl whined to her best friend before turning to the boy she'd been friends for too many years.

And never going to happen Sharpener,"

"What's going on with you two?" Erasa asked ignoring the furious Videl trying to get to the bottom of Gohan and Sharpener's mood.

"I'll explain later," Sharpener answered his friend with a heavy sigh that said he didn't actually want to explain.

"I don't want to talk about it," Gohan responded, not saying another word to any of his friends during school that day. Going as far as sitting at the front of the classroom to avoid Erasa in class.

The day had gone all too fast, Videl had been called off on more police work, Gohan had gone to help as Saiyan Man and had returned to school wanting to talk to Sharpener. He quickly found his friend who was walking through the halls with Erasa. Both walked past Gohan and Erasa didn't even notice the Son boy. The blond girl of their small group was pestering Sharpener wanting to know what was going on. In the moments she was distracted by another friend Gohan got Sharpener's attention, and both boys made there out the school, walking in the direction towards Sharpener's home.

"They're getting married," Sharpener sighed once it was just the two of them.

Gohan nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He still didn't know how to process the information.

"Nothing I could say could change my father's mind." Sharpener continued talking for a while about why he didn't like his father moving on so fast.

"I couldn't change mums either, and Goten is so excited." Gohan sighed, finally talking his mind. "Mum told me that she wasn't replacing dad and a long speech about how she was ready to move on."

"My dad gave a similar speech about my mum. Dad said that we're going out to your place this weekend apparently to get to meet each other properly."

"And next weekend will be at your place. My mum told us both. Gotens looking forward to meeting you and your dad at our house. I believe my younger brother had already seen your father a few times.

"When do you think the wedding will be?"

Gohan stopped walking. He hadn't considered there would be an actual wedding because they were now engaged. "I hope it's not anytime soon. I want to stop this, but I know that my mum will be upset if I do anything about it. My mother can be scary and if she knew that I was interfering." Gohan shuddered glaring or Sharpener. "Oh, and if your father hurts my mother or brother in any way, I will kill him."

Sharpener froze for a moment, Gohan was so serious when he made the threat to kill his father. It was a side to his friend that he'd never seen before, and he didn't think either of the girls had seen it either, but it was something he could understand if Gohan's mother hurt his father at all he'd want to kill her too. His father was all that he had left. The difference was, for the first time ever he believed that Gohan would do it.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow." The class nerd said lightheartedly like he'd never threatened to kill anyone.

Sharpener watched as Gohan looked back at him, running into the distance, disappearing into the crowd. They were going to find out a lot about each, a lot more than either of them were willing to share.

DBZ

It seemed like the school week went so slow and dragged on but at the same time, it went so fast. So far neither of the girls had been able to get out of Gohan or Sharpener what was going on, and that was frustrating them.

"Do you want to go to the movies tomorrow?" Erasa asked her three friends. She was expecting a maybe from Videl, a yes from Sharpener because he always went to the movies with her and a no from Gohan with an excuse of how he lived so far away.

"If my police work doesn't interfere with the movie session," Videl replied precisely what Erasa was expecting.

Gohan replied, "My mum's made plans for this weekend, I can't get out of it." A no but it was a different no then Erasa had been expecting.

"I can't go either, I've got plans as well," Sharpener responded.

"If you have a date we can meet up afterwards," Erasa pouted. That was usually the only reason Sharpener said no and it was someone he wasn't yet willing to tell her about. If it were baseball or martial arts training, he would have told her.

"I don't have a date this weekend, my dad made me cancel it," Sharpener pouted. "I can't believe dad made me cancel a date, he never makes me cancel a date. Look, I'll tell you about it later because I really don't want to talk about it now."

"You've been saying that all week!" Erasa complained. "I want to know what's going on."

Videl was trying to decide if she was going to be nosey about the matter, she was extremely curious, but she felt she'd got to the point of pushing the two boys away. Gohan was already sitting in different spots to avoid her. "Is there something we should be concerned about?"

"No, it's nothing to be concerned about," Gohan sighed. "Can you please just drop it?"

"Wait here a minute," Sharpener told the girls as he dragged Gohan with him to just around the corner where the girls couldn't hear them.

"I don't want to tell them, but I think we should," Sharpener whispered. "I've known Erasa and Videl for years, they aren't going to let up."

"I don't want to, admitting it to them is going to make it more real than it already is," Gohan replied in a whisper looking out the corner to make sure the girls weren't trying to eavesdrop.

"I know, but we're going to have to tell them because things aren't cooling off between our parents, dad has done nothing but talk about your mother," Sharpener argued.

"I know," Gohan sighed. "Let's just get this over and done with."

DBZ

"You don't think they're really dating?" Videl asked, wondering if what Erasa had been saying the last week was really true. She was trying to listen to the whispers but heard nothing.

"I don't know they look serious," Erasa replied, with concern. Gohan had said that they didn't need to be concerned she wasn't sure if she believed him. "I don't think they're dating. Do you think Sharpener is in trouble and Gohan's trying to help."

They waited anxiously for the boys to return. Videl started making plans for if they ran instead of telling them what was going on.

"So you're ready to tell us?" Erasa asked when they finally both appeared.

"No," Gohan answer confidently instead of pulling away nervously like he normally did. "But we'll tell you since you're our friends."

"Oh man, you really are dating" Erasa giggled.

"We are not dating, but our parents are" Sharpener replied.

"They have been ever since the parent day," Gohan said before the girls could respond.

"And last weekend they got engaged." Sharpener continued. "So we're going to be step-siblings who knows when they haven't told us if they have a date set."

"And we will be spending the whole of this weekend and next weekend together to get to know one another better before they get married," Gohan added. "This weekend is at my home and next weekend at Sharpeners."

Videl stood in silence, she wondered what it would be like if her father actually found someone and remarried. It had been just the two of them and a house full of servants since her mother walked out on them. Erasa, on the other hand, was excited.

DBZ

Friday afternoon was spent making sure the house and the yard were spotless despite the fact the house was already immaculate with a lecture about not using superpowers. Saturday Chi Chi spent the morning preparing lunch, one thing Gohan was glad of was that his mother hadn't taken down any pictures of his father, they were still hanging on the wall where they had always been, and he was hoping that was where they were going to stay. Sharpener and his father arrived around eleven am right on time.

"Hello Mr Graphite," Goten called out excitedly when their mother's boyfriend arrived.

"If I knew everyone was going to be dressed so formal Sharpener and I would've worn something else." Graphite laughed, he and Sharpener where both wearing muscles shirts and jeans while the Son family were all wearing Chinese styled clothing.

Gohan looked at his clothes wondering what was wrong with them, they were what he wore when she wasn't at school or doing martial arts practice or outdoors jobs.

"You both look fine," Chi Chi replied and greeted Graphite with a kiss on the cheek.

That one kiss on the cheek was more affection then what his mother had ever shown to his father in front of Gohan growing up.

Chi Chi finished getting dinner ready, and the two older boys sat in silence at the dinner table while they sat and ate lunch.

"So what type of job do you want to be when you finish school Gohan?" Graphite asked in an attempt to get Gohan to join the conversation.

"A Doctor or a scientist," Gohan replied, he was trying to eat at reasonable human pace, while his little brother wolfed his food down as usual.

"If you work hard I'm sure you will be able to do it."

"Gohan will be able to do that without working hard. He was number one on the National exams recently," Sharpener replied. "Where I didn't even rank."

"You were number one, that's impressive," Graphite praised him. "Not that I'm not proud of you Sharpener, you did better than I did when I did that exam."

"So what do you want to be Sharpener?" Chi Chi asked her potential stepson.

"I would like to be a professional baseball player like dad was. I have a mechanic as my backup plan. but if that's not successful I would like to be a mechanic."

"It's always good to have a realistic backup plan," Chi Chi agreed. "But that doesn't mean that you don't put effort into what you want to do."

"That boys always been pulling things apart and putting them back together, wanting to know how they work," Graphite laughed telling Chi Chi and the Son boys about the time Sharpener had pulled apart his grandmothers exercise bike to find out how it all worked.

"At seven years old has the exercise bike in pieces all over the lounge room and when he had finished putting it back together had three spare parts, never did work out what they were for, but my mother claimed that the exercise bike worked better after Sharpener pulled it apart."

Both the older boys blushed in embarrassment of the things that they had done when younger and shared with the other family.

"When Gohan was eleven he fixed the television after it was broken into pieces." Chi Chi said without explaining how it was broken in the first place.

"So you pulled the tv apart?" Graphite asked.

"No mum broke it when the Cell games footage cut out. I also had to fix the wall she threw the television at." Gohan replied as if it was nothing. "I grew up around scientists. Bulma and grandpa Briefs taught me a lot about electronics over the years." Gohan added when he saw the surprised look on Graphites and Sharpener's face.

"Think they can teach Sharpener a thing or two about electronics?" Graphite asked.

"Sure," Gohan smiled. The day was not turning out as bad as Gohan and Sharpener had imagined.

As they spoke more about what they'd both build over the years.

DBZ

It was late, and both older boys had started wondering about the sleeping arrangements since nothing had been discussed yet, Goten had already gone to bed and fallen asleep, Chi Chi and Graphite where out looking at the stars and Gohan and Sharpener where playing a video game together.

"Do you think that they will share a room?" Sharpener asked as he managed to catch Gohan off guard and shoot his character while he was distracted.

"I hope not, but we only have one spare room and mum hasn't said anything about sleeping arrangements." Gohan recovered quickly and managed to track Sharpener down in game and shoot the other boy a couple of times. "The thought of another man being in my parent's room is rather disturbing."

Sharpener nodded in agreement, he knew his father had been with a couple of other women over the years but no-one ever serious enough to spend the night and especially not in his parents' bedroom.

The boys played for another hour before Graphite and Chi Chi came back in. Sharpener managed to beat Gohan at the game which he was happy about since it was the only thing he'd managed to beat Gohan at so far.

"I think it's time that we all head to bed," Chi Chi announced. "Graphite will be sleeping in the spare bedroom, Sharpener your welcome to sleep in the spare room with your father or in the room with Gohan."

"I'll share with Gohan if that's not going to be a problem." Sharpener answered. His father snored, and honestly, he couldn't stand to be in the same room as his father when he was snoring.

"I'm glad there in different rooms" Sharpener yawned, realising how tired stressing about the possibility of his father and Chi Chi sharing a room had tired him out. Gohan nodded while he helped set up the mattress in his bedroom for his friend and future stepbrother.

"They'll be sharing a room when they get married," Gohan pointed out.

"Where do you think we will live when we get married?" Sharpener asked.

"I'm not moving," Gohan replied. "I'm staying here. I don't want your dad moving in. Maybe they'll get a new house together?"

Gohan rolled over, facing the wall. Sharpener sighed, he wouldn't get any more conversation out of Gohan.

DBZ

In the morning when Sharpener woke up he found that Gohan wasn't in the room, he got dress and made his way downstairs seeing his friend just outside chopping firewood. He was under the impression from the class nerd constantly being late for class that he liked his sleep-ins, but it seemed he was mistaken. All three Son members were up and dressed, Chi Chi preparing breakfast and Goten working on homework. His father was nowhere in sight, but Sharpener knew it wouldn't be much longer till his father was up as well.

The day had gone well. Gohan helped him with homework, they spoke about school and the two girls and what they'd think when they found out what was going on.

"This is the first time I've had a friend stay over," Gohan admitted.

"Why not, your mother wouldn't let them stay?" Sharpener asked.

"I'm sure she would let my friends stay if I had any friends to invite over. My only friend my own age, before starting school is Dende, and he's not really in a position to stay over. He lived too far away when we were younger, and now he has responsibilities that he can't step away from, even for one night. I really should visit Dende again sometime soon, it's been a while."

Living as remote as he did Sharpener could understand why he didn't have any other friends besides this Dende person. He was curious to know what type of person Dende was that he'd befriended Gohan in a long distance friendship by the sounds of it and the heir of his family business, or kingdom or maybe his parents were gone, and he was trying to support younger siblings?

He watched Gohan finish chores around the house. Work on assignments. Helping his mother. He was always doing something and wasn't still for more than 5 minutes. Goten was a ball or energy, and Sharpener didn't know where the young boy got all the energy from. The Son family was very different than his own family, and yet, he and his father still seemed to fit in despite their differences. Chi Chi seemed to make his father happy.


End file.
